Fallen
by AniHanki
Summary: High School AU. When Leo Valdez ran up the school building, he was expecting some crazy kid who needed therapy. Not Nico di Angelo.
1. Chapter 1

**Fallen**

**Chapter 1**

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><p>Leo Valdez wondered how he got himself in this situation. He remembered walking out the school building, talking to some guy who pointed at the edge of the roof. He remembered seeing someone there. He remembered sprinting inside the school, taking three steps at a time on the stairs. He remembered opening the heavy black door, his deep breathing. The place was empty, except for the boy by the rooftop whose feet dangled of the edge.<p>

Leo knew that the boy knew he was there (God, that sounded weird.) He tried to breathe more evenly, taking deep breathes to calm himself down.

Seconds felt like minutes, so Leo asked, "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" the boy answered, his voice was light and teasing. But he still wouldn't turn around to face Leo.

Leo tried to resist himself to answer back with something like 'Don't answer a question with a question,' but of course, that wouldn't be real mature of him. (As if he was mature.) He took a step forward, being extra cautious of his actions. "I honestly don't know how to deal with this, but don't do it." He said the last few words harshly.

"Get away from me."

Leo raked his fingers through his hair. He was trying to get the kid off the ledge but on the _right _side, this guy seemed like a smartass. Before Leo could say anything, the kid said, "I'm not going to jump off, if that's what you're thinking."

"Wait-what?"

The kid sighed, "You really thought I was going to jump?" He turned around, bringing his legs back inside carefully and stood up. "What are you doing here anyway? It's past school hours." The boy was nonchalant.

Well, he wasn't really a kid or a boy, he was about Leo's age. "What are _you _doing here?" Leo asked back, walking to the other. He had black hair that looked uncombed, baggy eyes, and pale skin. Shrugging, Leo held out his hand. "Leo Valdez."

The boy looked down at Leo's hand uncertainly, but he shook Leo's hand anyway. "Nico."

"Well then, Nico, shall we head down?"

Nico scoffed. "Who said you were coming with me?"

"I did, it's the gentleman thing to do." Leo was already walking back to the stairs, waiting for Nico by the door.

"I'm not a girl," Nico said, glaring at Leo. Nico began walking down the stairs anyway, hedidn't bother to wait for Leo.

"That doesn't mean I can't be a gentleman," Leo joked, which Nico completely ignored. Leo jogged down to catch up with Nico. The black-haired boy didn't show any signs of going slower or faster, so Leo went along with him.

Leo tugged at his brown long-sleeved shirt as they walked back outside. It was late September, not that cold. His feet hit the asphalt, having some sort jump to his step. Nico walked straight even if his hands were in his pockets, he looked forward not having any kind of distraction.

Leo always walked liked his skipped, he could never put his hands in his pocket unless he was cold, and if he did he could have never walk with Nico's confident stride. Leo realized that Nico was shorter than him, which was weird because Leo was very short for his age. Leo broke the silence that wasn't uncomfortable and asked, "How old are you, Nico?"

"Fifteen… You?"

Leo broke into a grin, realizing that Nico was going to continue the conversation that they were having.

"Sixteen! I would think you were younger, you're kinda skinny." Leo didn't know if that was being insensitive, he hoped he wasn't. But Nico had a bony looking frame, he was skinnier than Leo, which was also weird because Leo was very skinny for his age and didn't have muscles. (Leo made a mental note to bring the kid some lunch.)

Nico shrugged, brushing off Leo's comment. They didn't speak after that. Leo took this time to really observe Nico. It was the first time he had seen him, he was pale and skinny and small and had messy hair. But he also had dark eyes that weren't black just dark and he had freckles that were too faint to see at first glance. Leo kept on thinking that this kid was too skinny.

Leo promised himself – not just a mental note – to bring this kid lunch.

They were heading toward the apartments, just a twenty minute walk from their school. Maybe Nico walked back and forth all the time?

Nico stopped at brown, boring building. It was just brown and windows. So Leo had nothing to say about it. Nico looked back at Leo just once by the door to the apartment.

"This is my place. Bye." Nico looked at Leo like he was shocked that Leo did walk all the way with him, also looked like he expected Leo to leave him alone now. It was hilarious to Leo.

"I'll bring you lunch tomorrow, I promise!" Leo shouted.

"Why the hell would I need lunch?" Nico raised his voice a bit, making Leo laugh. "Oh, go away."

"Goodbye, Nico!" Leo waved his hands, watching Nico scowl (but Leo swore he saw a tiny smile) and head into the apartment.

Leo felt happy, hoping to catch a taxi back to seven-eleven. He had his uniform in his bag, so it was okay for him to just head down there. He could buy something for his and Nico's lunch tomorrow too. He adjusted the backpack on his back and hopped into the cab that approached him.

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><p>It was already lunch, and Leo immediately looked for Nico di Angelo. Usually, Leo would be sitting with Jason and Piper and other people who adored his two friends. Leo looked around the swarm of people, trying to find the scrawny boy out of all the people in the school. And he saw Nico.<p>

Nico was sitting by the windows, swinging his legs that couldn't reach the dirty floor. He wasn't doing anything. Leo wanted to surprise him, so we walked behind Nico's vision. He tapped his shoulder, wondering what kind of expression Nico was going to have.

Nico created some kind of shriek, his voice going higher than his usual tone. He turned around, glaring. "What do you want?"

Leo smiled, sat in front of Nico and took out a brown paper bag. "I told you I was going to bring you lunch."

Nico looked away, "I don't need it."

"I have Subway? I bought it from the one by the seven-eleven yesterday." Leo took out two sandwiches. "But if you're not going to eat, I will."

While Leo began to eat his food, he noticed Nico rolled his eyes and placed his chin on his hand for support. Leo's mouth was full, he took a swing of his diet coke. Then he leaned forward towards Nico.

"So, what's your favorite color?"

"What?" Nico looked puzzled with the sudden question.

"Well, it would be awkward if we both sat here and not talk." Leo said.

"It's blue-green."

"Mine is red," Leo took another bite. "You're a sophomore?"

Nico nodded.

"I'm a junior!" It continued on like that for a while, it was a one-sided conversation. Leo would ask a question, Nico answered, Leo replied back. He found out Nico was Italian, (His last name was di Angelo, it was such a cool last name.) he liked history and math, and he was taking Spanish. Leo told Nico that he could help him out with that, Nico rolled his eye at the idea.

Lunch was almost over, Leo had already threw his lunch out.

"Do you always sit alone?" Leo asked Nico.

"No, I don't."

"Are you being sarcastic or?"

"No, I'm not. I usually eat with Rachel and Calypso."

Leo thought about it for a moment. "Hey! Calypso's in my grade!"

"Yeah, I know. I think you guys were dating too. For like, a month."

Leo turned red, "Yeah, whatever."

Nico didn't say anything after that. Then the bell rang.

"See you tomorrow, Nico!" Leo said, but Nico had already turned his back on him.

Leo jogged out of the cafeteria, he had class with Piper next and he didn't want to be late. He also had a good feeling about Nico di Angelo.

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><p><em>AN: I am so excited for this fic! I've had this idea in my head for almost a year now. Also! I still am in the Percy Jackson fandom, I would never leave. I've been shipping Vadangelo since the Son of Neptune, there was only like twelve fics then. The Blood Of Olympus is in THREE DAYS EVERYBODY!_

_Please review, I would love some feedback on this!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Fallen **

**Chapter 2**

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><p>Ever since he had brought Nico lunch, Leo stuck to the other boy like glue. God, it was annoying. Nico barely saw anyone else but Leo Valdez. Not even Rachel, who knew about Leo since she had called Nico saying her father had brought her to a business trip.<p>

Nico glared at the boy sitting across from him. It has only been about a week since Leo frantically ran upstairs to 'save' him. That Leo was very different from this Leo. If that made any sense.

Leo Valdez had wild curly hair and tan skin and brown eyes. Very brown. Nico knew he himself was the complete opposite of that, he had black hair (well, people always said it was messy) and pale skin and dark eyes. Very dark.

Leo had been trying to make Nico eat the Subway sandwiches he always brought. A few days ago, Nico accepted one thinking if he did then Leo would leave him alone. He didn't. So there Leo was, chomping on his sub.

Nico glared at him while taking a bite out of his sandwich. And Leo laughed.

How was Nico's luck so terrible?

"So, where is Rachel?" Leo asked – another one of his attempts to strike up a conversation.

"She's on a business trip with her dad."

"Calypso?"

"She's not coming near you."

* * *

><p>Leo had followed Nico home, not in the creepy way but like I-think-I'm-friends-with-him-so-I'll-walk-with-him follow. But the thing was Nico wasn't going to go home – he was out to buy groceries for the landlady of his apartment. (Her name was Miss Susan and she was a very nice and pretty person.)<p>

"Hey, I work here!" Leo had said in realization that they were at seven-eleven.

"I've never seen you before."

"This time is never my shift." Leo waved at the cash-register and told Nico if he bought anything it would be discounted as if it wasn't cheap enough.

Nico had bought some breads and some eggs and a carton of milk. He was about to pay for his items when he had recognized a shiny deck of cards. Of course, his haunting memories of a card game would catch his eye. Hoping that Leo wouldn't see him, Nico took a peek at the deck. It was a rare one, featuring all the gods including a special roman one and they were all shiny. Nico resisted in getting the cards (but they were so cheap and so rare) and he placed it at the bottom of his basket hoping no one had seen.

Of course, Nico had the rottenest of luck.

"So, Mythomagic?" Nico could see Leo's hollow cheeks, indicating he was biting the inside of his cheeks to prevent laughter.

Nico turned away, he could feel his face heat up. "Oh, shut up."

"Oh, come _on_! I finally found something that you seem to be interested in!" Nico wanted him to stop talking. "You gotta tell me about it!"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Nico, it's just a card game."

Nico rolled his eyes, "It's not just a card game! It's a lifestyle! You barely get a full deck with all the gods and I finally found one! I've only ever had Dionysus and Poseidon and-"

Of course, Leo was laughing. Nico felt his face flush up and he was probably redder than earlier. He didn't talk for the rest of the trip back to the apartment.

Leo bid him goodnight (before laughing).

It was a Saturday and Nico had forgotten that and the fact that it was Halloween. (Miss Susan had bought candy for weeks already but Nico still felt bad.)

Most of the day, Nico arranged his new deck of cards and did school work and cleaned up and ate with Miss. Susan. But it turned to be three o'clock and the first of many children were to appear for candy.

"I'll get it," Nico had said, making sure Miss Susan wouldn't have to worry.

It was a child and his name was Leo Valdez. Nico cursed. Why oh why was his luck this bad. Leo was dressed as a steam-punk mechanic. He had goggles in his face and suspenders and streaks of oil went down all through his clothing. Nico knew and dreaded where this was going.

"You're not in a costume?" The disappointment in his voice sounded familiar, like of a person he knew.

"No, I'm not." Nico swore he heard Miss Susan chuckle.

"Too bad," No, it wasn't too bad. He could hear the mischievousness in Leo's voice. Then Leo got out a cape. "You're going to be vampire."

"I don't even know you," Nico said, which was probably a very weird defense.

"I won't hurt you. I _promise."_

Nico was still going to refuse, but Miss Susan pushed his back. "Oh go, I can handle myself." He was stuck between his care-taker and someone who was pushing him to go trick-or-treating.

Glaring, he grabbed the cape out of Leo's hands. He bid goodbye to Susan and hello to Leo. Leo was grinning so much, Nico wondered if his gums could handle it. Tying the cape around his hoodie, Nico thought if he had to have a costume it would have been cooler if it was a pirate or a warrior but that was childish (like Bianca had said).

After he had tied it, Leo took a good look at him. Then he did something with Nico's hair. He had smoothed, so it was straighter to the side. "Perfect! Okay, so I brought two pillow cases with me – is that alright?"

Nico nodded. Last time he had gone trick-or-treating, he had used the orange pumpkin ones but he guessed they didn't use those anymore.

"Where are we going first?" Nico asked, seeing some children already.

"We don't have to go anywhere, we can start anywhere. It's Halloween." Leo grabbed Nico's arm and pulled him behind him. Nico struggled to free himself, which he did eventually and followed Leo.

They pulled by the first house, it was a brick building. Leo had rang the doorbell already, Nico felt his redden. He didn't know who answered it, but Leo had already burst into "Trick or treat!" They got their candy after that and Leo bounced back in his steps to the next house.

They were walking slowly, Leo said, "You're embarrassed to go out during Halloween but you collect Mythomagic-"

"Oh, shut up!" Nico wanted himself to want to hide from Leo, but he didn't.

"Then don't be embarrassed! Everything is okay," Leo said, with that grin that seemed impossible to fade. But Nico had seen Leo without, just once. The first time they had met.

Then they went to the next house, and the next. ("You got Reses!" "You can have them, I like Kit-Kats better.") Nico didn't say the chant like Leo did, who energetically yelled it with the grin on his face making him look more like twelve than sixteen.

But after a while, Nico would look away so Leo couldn't see him and say it. Which was until Leo noticed and his grin was more focused on Nico than the person who would open the door.

It was dark now, they had at least been doing this for about an hour. Leo had told Nico one more house until they took a rest.

Leo rang the doorbell, and just as the door opened, he said "Trick or Treat!" Nico looked to who had opened the door, but there was no one there. So he looked down. There was a little girl.

"Hello!" She must have been at least six, Nico thought, and she was very, very polite. Then Leo laughed, which always made Nico focus on Leo instead anything else. "What kind of candy do you like? My mom and dad told me to give candy for a few minutes."

"Anything, really!" Nico noticed that Leo was so easy with her. Leo must be the kind of father who would spoil his own child rotten.

She tossed a handful of candy into Leo's pillow case and turned to Nico, "What about you?"

And Nico felt like melting, Nico had not really came into contact with many children. "Chocolate, please." Nico felt himself smile, leaning toward the girl a bit.

"Okay!" Then the girl began to dig through the candy from the bags she had. Nico saw the girl's concentrated look, trying to separate the chocolate from the others. Nico's grip loosened from the pillowcase he was holding, god she was adorable. Nico didn't even realize that the girl had come back and threw some chocolate down the case. "Bye-bye!"

"Bye, little lady!" Leo had waved his hand, snapping himself out of his thought and back to Leo again.

And like Leo had said, they took a rest. Leo found a small park and they sat on the grass. "Now, we have to swap candy." Nico noticed it was already dark, he wanted to go home now.

"It's already late, Leo." Nico hoped that Leo would hear the bitterness in his voice. Nico's stomach was becoming antsy, the feeling when you think you're about to fall but you don't.

Leo didn't. "But you know me!"

"I barely know you."

"Well, I like smarties and anything sour and candy-like. Gum as well. Now you know me!"

"…Chocolate. And anything blue."

"Hmn.." Leo searched around his sack, pouting. Nico realized he should be doing the same so he did. He found the candy Leo was looking for, and Nico didn't care much for them anyway. Would be much less of a hassle for him.

"Okay, here you go." Leo said as he dumped the pile into Nico's bag. He saw the blue in the midst of everything, it stood out to him. And he hated it. And he hated himself for wanting it.

After that they were about to walk home, Leo was walking Nico home anyway. "So, I realized you were really fond of children." Leo had said.

"Really? I didn't notice." Nico didn't really say anything to her.

"Yeah, you really got along with her! Don't understand why you won't get along with me!" And then Leo laughed which Nico also hated.

Nico glanced at Leo at the corner of his eye. Leo was nothing special, hell he looked nothing compared to Jackson who had graduated the year before. He was scrawny and not that good-looking. But he had stupid jokes and a stupid laugh.

It made Nico happy. And Nico hated that as well.

As they turned at the familiar corner, Nico felt a dread of leaving. He had wanted to get rid of Leo since earlier, but now that he was actually leaving he didn't want to. Something Nico didn't want to feel. He needed to leave Leo, he needed to get rid of Leo. They were back at the familiar apartment, back to his normal life. Back to without Leo.

"Bye!" Leo said, waving his hands urging to Nico to go on.

"Bye," Nico said in return, clutching his bag of candy, pouting and he knew he looked ridiculous. But he couldn't stop himself from smiling, because when you're happy you smile and Nico was happy.

He hid his face and went back inside, trying to not be disturbed once more.

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><p><em>AN: A bit late on Halloween aren't I? Actually my plans had nothing to do with the actual dates, this was in the plan and it was just a coincidence._

_This chapter is okay… Not the best, but then it is developing their relationship. I hope the next chapters are a bit better. This is also my nanowrimo project so I hope to at least get all the drafts, etc._

_Please review! I would love some feedback._


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